3.2 GPA, 174 LSAT, PhD in Genetics Forum

[ocean]

Hi, all, those are my numbers.

There is no such thing as GPA in China, every test is 100 points and some of them can be very hard (you can score 75 and be number 1 in class). It was only during recent years, people started to transform them into 4 points GPA scale as follows: >85 is A, between 75 and 85 is B, 60 to 75 is C, lower than 60 is F. Class ranking is not reflected by our scoring system. I actually ranked top 10 out of 109 in my class (No proof on paper , but I was selected into the Basic Sciences Training Unit of Department of Education based on 3.0 GPA of the freshman and sophomore GPA, this is just showing you how ludicrously the arbitrary GPA transformation works and I was the secretary of academic affairs in student council in my junior year).

I have a PhD in molecular genetics (from one of the top 3 US public University) and have a 3.8 GPA (which doesn't count, I know), I also have three scientific publications (one second authorship and 2 first authorship). The two recommendation letters from my PhD adviser and the chairman of my thesis committee will both be very strong, not only because of good rapport and my work ethics, but also because they are both stand-up guys, very very supportive of me.

Any inputs would be greatly appreciated, my dream school is Columbia and I would be thrilled if I can get into Michigan, lower than UVa would be a huge disappointment. The UG GPA really bugs me, I will definitely write an addendum. Although I like the fact that this will give me a chance to argue a case for myself, the 3.2 bugs me hugely.

[$1.99]

i can understand how unfair the lsac gpa conversion may seem but unfortunately the top schools follow it very strictly. your softs are pretty impressive to me but i think you have barely a slim shot at columbia. your best bet is to ED and pray to whatever religion you follow because they never dip below a 3.4 GPA and your LSAT is not above their 75th percentile.

I think you will break the top 14 if you write a good addendum since you seem like a well rounded applicant but that gpa is screwing you over big time.

[on_ne_sait_jamais]

i can understand how unfair the lsac gpa conversion may seem but unfortunately the top schools follow it very strictly. your softs are pretty impressive to me but i think you have barely a slim shot at columbia. your best bet is to ED and pray to whatever religion you follow because they never dip below a 3.4 GPA and your LSAT is not above their 75th percentile.

I think you will break the top 14 if you write a good addendum since you seem like a well rounded applicant but that gpa is screwing you over big time.

A guy with 278 posts, telling a Doctor of Molecular Genetics, where he can and can't get in... hilarious

[09042014]

i can understand how unfair the lsac gpa conversion may seem but unfortunately the top schools follow it very strictly. your softs are pretty impressive to me but i think you have barely a slim shot at columbia. your best bet is to ED and pray to whatever religion you follow because they never dip below a 3.4 GPA and your LSAT is not above their 75th percentile.

I think you will break the top 14 if you write a good addendum since you seem like a well rounded applicant but that gpa is screwing you over big time.

A guy with 278 posts, telling a Doctor of Molecular Genetics, where he can and can't get in... hilarious

Why would a doctor of molecular genetics know anything about law admissions?

That being said if that GPA is from China, it doesn't count, and OP should apply everywhere.

[kalvano]

I think a more pertinent question is why on Earth do you want to go to law school?

[icydash]

i can understand how unfair the lsac gpa conversion may seem but unfortunately the top schools follow it very strictly. your softs are pretty impressive to me but i think you have barely a slim shot at columbia. your best bet is to ED and pray to whatever religion you follow because they never dip below a 3.4 GPA and your LSAT is not above their 75th percentile.

I think you will break the top 14 if you write a good addendum since you seem like a well rounded applicant but that gpa is screwing you over big time.

A guy with 278 posts, telling a Doctor of Molecular Genetics, where he can and can't get in... hilarious

Why would a doctor of molecular genetics know anything about law admissions?

That being said if that GPA is from China, it doesn't count, and OP should apply everywhere.

Yeah I think if you -don't- have a GPA, they just assume you're at the median or something, right?

[09042014]

i can understand how unfair the lsac gpa conversion may seem but unfortunately the top schools follow it very strictly. your softs are pretty impressive to me but i think you have barely a slim shot at columbia. your best bet is to ED and pray to whatever religion you follow because they never dip below a 3.4 GPA and your LSAT is not above their 75th percentile.

I think you will break the top 14 if you write a good addendum since you seem like a well rounded applicant but that gpa is screwing you over big time.

A guy with 278 posts, telling a Doctor of Molecular Genetics, where he can and can't get in... hilarious

Why would a doctor of molecular genetics know anything about law admissions?

That being said if that GPA is from China, it doesn't count, and OP should apply everywhere.

Yeah I think if you -don't- have a GPA, they just assume you're at the median or something, right?

No, the schools considers whatever they want. It just doesn't hurt the schools median.

[icydash]

No, the schools considers whatever they want. It just doesn't hurt the schools median.

Right. So since he can't bring down the GPA median (which is all they care about for the most part -- their GPA/LSAT medians) since he doesn't have a real GPA (at least not one that's usable coming from China), then they'll most likely focus on his LSAT / softs, which seem great. I think he should apply everywhere.

[$1.99]

i can understand how unfair the lsac gpa conversion may seem but unfortunately the top schools follow it very strictly. your softs are pretty impressive to me but i think you have barely a slim shot at columbia. your best bet is to ED and pray to whatever religion you follow because they never dip below a 3.4 GPA and your LSAT is not above their 75th percentile.

I think you will break the top 14 if you write a good addendum since you seem like a well rounded applicant but that gpa is screwing you over big time.

A guy with 278 posts, telling a Doctor of Molecular Genetics, where he can and can't get in... hilarious

a guy about to go to northwesTTTern making snide comments on TLS...hilarious

[RockyLovesEmily]

I think a more pertinent question is why on Earth do you want to go to law school?

+1,000,000

I'm not sure if you got the memo, but the legal market is bloated and genetics is the FUTURE!

[kalvano]

Seriously, in the time you spend at law school, you could probably just clone your own lawyer.

[ocean]

I think a more pertinent question is why on Earth do you want to go to law school?

+1,000,000

I'm not sure if you got the memo, but the legal market is bloated and genetics is the FUTURE!

Nah, man. It's very hard to make a living as a foreign scientist. I am working 10 to 12 hours a day, no weekends as a graduate student before and as a post-doc right now, get paid like 40,000/ year, I love science, but it's very demoralizing. Science is a profession filled with failures, that's just the way it is, because we are on the frontier bordering with the unknown, but the highly competitive environment of science has lower and lower tolerance of failures. This incompatibility/discrepancy creates widespread miserable feelings across the whole field.

I am not really turned down by the current market, law weaves the society together and with the society continues progressing, lawyers are needed. Scientists, on the other hand, are way overproduced.

[Holly Golightly]

No, the schools considers whatever they want. It just doesn't hurt the schools median.

Right. So since he can't bring down the GPA median (which is all they care about for the most part -- their GPA/LSAT medians) since he doesn't have a real GPA (at least not one that's usable coming from China), then they'll most likely focus on his LSAT / softs, which seem great. I think he should apply everywhere.

Agreed.

[Doritos]

I think a more pertinent question is why on Earth do you want to go to law school?

+1,000,000

I'm not sure if you got the memo, but the legal market is bloated and genetics is the FUTURE!

Nah, man. It's very hard to make a living as a foreign scientist. I am working 10 to 12 hours a day, no weekends as a graduate student before and as a post-doc right now, get paid like 40,000/ year, I love science, but it's very demoralizing. Science is a profession filled with failures, that's just the way it is, because we are on the frontier bordering with the unknown, but the highly competitive environment of science has lower and lower tolerance of failures. This incompatibility/discrepancy creates widespread miserable feelings across the whole field.

I am not really turned down by the current market, law weaves the society together and with the society continues progressing, lawyers are needed. Scientists, on the other hand, are way overproduced.

The legal field is a wee bit saturated. Don't be discouraged I don't mean to talk you out of law school, I mean I'm going after all, just be sure and do your research on the legal market and the schools you are inevitably going to get into. From what I've read being a fresh JD is not easy but if you enjoy law by all means join the JD club. Also, PhD in molecular genetics? That's pretty impressive, you should be proud.

[TobiasFunke]

.

[tbo123123]

don't call yourself a scientist dude, you're not a real scientist, you're a wannabe, well I guess you're a don't wannabe no more because I can't make it guy "in science", definitely not a "scientist"

[Holly Golightly]

don't call yourself a scientist dude, you're not a real scientist, you're a wannabe, well I guess you're a don't wannabe no more because I can't make it guy "in science", definitely not a "scientist"

Was that English?

[tbo123123]

on another note, how'd you pass your qualifiers after a 3.2 GPA? Most graduate programs in science/engineering don't let you in without a 3.5, unless you're in one of those state schools, something doesn't add up.

[kalvano]

Please tell me English is a third or fourth language for you.

[UFmark]

Please tell me English is a third or fourth language for you.

I was seriously about to say the same thing haha...

[ocean]

Yeah I think if you -don't- have a GPA, they just assume you're at the median or something, right?[/quote]

No, the schools considers whatever they want. It just doesn't hurt the schools median.[/quote]

Thanks a lot for that information. If that's a matter of fact, I am very much relieved.

[ocean]

I have similar numbers (lower LSAT, slightly higher GPA) and was accepted to Columbia. Though I'm a URM, my softs were NOWHERE NEAR being a doctor in genetics.

If you don't get in, NOBODY deserves to get in. Though again, while I understand that science is a damn hard and underpaid profession, you're absurdly overqualified for law school. If pay sucks, hit up venture capitalists and start your own company, then sell it for billions. But you'd be completely wasted in this profession.

Edit: But if you do get into Columbia, let's get a beer.

I really appreciate your kind words. Although still uneasy about the GPA, I will definitely apply Columbia and am looking forward to buy you a beer in the future.

[Mattalones]

Law schools care about two main things when admitting people: Their USNWR #s, and admitting people who will do good and do well to boost the school's reputation. You'll contribute to the former with your high LSAT (I don't think they have to report foreign GPAs to USNWR, but contact your interest schools to get a clear picture ... that will help you understand your situation A LOT!). Your potential to do the later seems higher than most people that even the most elite schools admit. The majority of people going to T5 law school haven't done anything with their lives besides school (granted, they did it VERY well). You're going to have schools tossing money at you, man. That is especially if you want to get into IP and go to a top IP school (Berkeley, BU, etc).

My main advice: contact the schools because you have a super specific situation and need information that only they can provide.

[ocean]

Law schools care about two main things when admitting people: Their USNWR #s, and admitting people who will do good and do well to boost the school's reputation. You'll contribute to the former with your high LSAT (I don't think they have to report foreign GPAs to USNWR, but contact your interest schools to get a clear picture ... that will help you understand your situation A LOT!). Your potential to do the later seems higher than most people that even the most elite schools admit. The majority of people going to T5 law school haven't done anything with their lives besides school (granted, they did it VERY well). You're going to have schools tossing money at you, man. That is especially if you want to get into IP and go to a top IP school (Berkeley, BU, etc).

My main advice: contact the schools because you have a super specific situation and need information that only they can provide.

Thank you so much for the thorough reply. Getting a PhD doesn't really single me out as someone who has done sth besides school though

[Dr. Strangelove]

You're probably in Michigan/Duke/Cornell/Georgetown.